William Lilly student in astrologie, his past and present opinion touching monarchy in these nations: and his decision of the controversie between the Normans and the Long-Parliament.

William Lilly Student in Astrologie, His past and present Opinion touching Monarchy in these Nations.

WE must here recount unto Posterity our so signal Prediction (or deducti∣on rather) from the several Prophe∣cies in our Monarchy or no Monarchy, published in 1651. In pag. 66. there∣of, we wrote those words —That England shall be no more governed by Kings. And we must needs tell the world, that (notwithstanding the many clamours of Montelion the Knight of the Oracle, and the Boy who wrote the Novice Astrologer instructed, on purpose for our reproof) we are resolved still to adhere to that our so fa∣mous Prediction (so accounted by all forraign Astrolo∣gers) and with good grounds in our own Art will main∣tain the same to be true, against any Opposer whatsoe∣ver. 'Tis true, we were (as we have ingenuously confes∣sed) a little misled in the Fate of our Patron, the King of Sweden; but we were well enough rewarded for that our mistake, yea, better then our Antagonists were ever for their serious pains against us.

Some out of disaffection to us, are pleased (against our prediction above-cited) to urge, that Oliver Cromwel that late famous Protector of England, &c. was a breach of the truth thereof: saying, There is no difference between

Rex and Protector, saving in nomine, in the name. We hold such foolish Criticisms, nor their Authors, worthy an Answer: for, Aquila non capit muscas: We know, as well as they, that they differ not in Re, in the thing, or matter. But we would fain hear of any of those strict Cavillers, or but one of them, that ever got one hundred pound a year, by any of their true Predictions, as we have done by our many hundred false ones. Then others idly ask us, why we maintained, That the Long Parliament should never be overcome, and yet afterwards rejoyce at their downfal? It is true, we sincerely acknowledge (and we will stand to it, maugre the malice of our and Astrolo∣gies Enemies) that in 1651. in our Epistle to the Rea∣der, pag. 5. we did hypothetically (or some way or o∣ther) writ••—If the Bastard Norman, having no other Title but a good Sword, long since overcame our fore-fathers; by that very Law have we expulsed his Successors, regained our native Rights, and entrusted them with the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England; and we will maintain this pow∣er, and not return to feed upon the Garlick and Oynions of a Scotish Yoak. And in our Epistle to our Almanack 1647. pag. 1. thereof, we remember we did affirm— That God Almighty was our Parliaments loving Patron and Guardian, &c. And in our general Judgement of that years actions, pag. 9. we maintained—That no person wha••soever that shall endeavour— to destroy this presen•• Parliament, should never attain their desires, but perish in the design. And in our Occurrences 1648. pag. 38. we also laid down a like position, viz. —That the main Body of this Parliament, and their Authority (maugre all an∣gry Devils (here, you see, we were not affraid to term our Parliaments Enemies, Devils, no more then we were ashamed to term the King of Swedes Enemies so, in our Anglicus for the present Year; for which G. J. or

J.G. in his Novice Astrologer instructed, seemeth to term us irreligious, but we are above Boyish Squibs) and Scotish faction) shall be preserved and stand. Nay, so zea∣lous were we, in our writing for the Parliament, that in our Anglicus for 1650. pag. 4. of the Epistle thereof, we promised —That if the People of England would elect a Parliament of dead men, we would with Pen, Purse and Person, perform our uttermost service for the support of that Authority so elected and set up. And in pag. 6. of our Anglicus for 1651. we say, This Authority of Parliament must stand. These Predictions, with a hundred more, have we with great confidence, several years together, furnished our Nation with, to the great honour of Astrologie, but greater profit to our self. But as no person can write to please all palats, it hath happened that we have written somewhat in our other works or Astrological Labours since 1644. which being perused by Botchers, not Artists, they have (in envy to us) called contradicto∣ry to what we have here rehearsed: But whether they be so or not, we desire the world at large, and not our ene∣mies, to be our Judges. And we shall therefore (to prevent the being mis-represented by stitching Pens, and Scriblers: for you must know, it is for our Honour to imbase others, and never confess our self a Quondam Taylor, lest we be blasted perpetually thereby) we shall I say, therefore, relate those several passages our self, as the fittest for us to do, of any man, because no man else can truly understand our meaning. And so we be∣gin with what first presents it self.—

In our Epistle to Anglicus 1652. we (in good will, after our Patron B. W. had told us) tell the Parliament, that —Providence, it seems, will have another Generation to enter upon this work, and to finish that great bu••lding, &c. and that we thought it our duty, ere their dissolution, to render

them what thankfulness our heart was able. And in our Almanack 1653. pag. 9. of our Predictions therein, we remember we Predicted—That if the Parliament shall— Inforce us to some new and Illegal Assessment, or by way of raising money, upon any pretence whatsoever—I am confi∣dent, we of the Communalty, joyning with the souldiery, shall assume so much liberty to our selves, as to choose and elect such Members as hereafter shall be more tender of our purses, and more liberal of their own; and we shall endeavour so strictly to call unto account each Member of this Parliament, who hath fingered our Treasure, that we shall leave many of them as naked, as when they came out of their mothers wombs, or when first to be Members of Parliament. And in our Anglicus 1654. pag. 5. we very seasonably say, that had not that Parliament been miraculously routed, they had resolved to embrue this Nation in civil broyles, and to have destroyed this very Army, that gave them life and being. And in the same page, toward the lower end (with good ground in Astrology,) we affirm—They were unthankful to all that served them; and that they were never willing to make up a full house, unless for private ends of their own. And in our Postscript to that our Almanack, we say—I began to rouze up my self and angry Genius, expecting assu∣redly a sudden change; which timely came to pass, by an especial providence of the Lord General Cromwel and Councel of Officers; who taking into serious consideration, the sloth, drowziness, and self-endedness of the then Parliament, and how little faith there was to be given to their Vo••e of sitting no longer then Novemb. 1654. they being become as cunning as Taylors, knew how to make that Vote, two or three yards longer. And his excellency, in April 1653. the 20. day thereof, dissolves that Authority, to the great liking of the whole Nation, and so redeem'd us from a perpetual Parliament. And in An∣glicus 1655. pag. 13. we write—The Parliament were

well eased of that burthen they never complained of, viz. of lording it over others, and obeying no body themselves; being the day before their dissolution honourable, but the next day, no more worshipful then a—we meant, T. Now we ask the very enemies of our self, and Astrology, what con∣tradiction can be found in any of these our passages? If they shall say that to speak for, and against the Par∣liament, be a contradiction in us, then indeed (with∣out a distingu••ndo) they say a seeming truth. But can they find in any one of our Almanacks, that we have spoken pro & contra? If they cannot, let them be a∣shamed to blame us, and lay the fault upon their own ignorance, or non-understanding of our Method. Could any man be so senceless, as to think our Pre∣dictions should hold true, longer then our Almanack should last? if there be any contradictions (and they are but venial sins at most; for no man was ever damn'd for writing contradictions, if we may believe John Calvin, and Lisyppus) We are confident our mean∣ing was good in them; and we reaped as much advan∣tage thereby, as any others did for-the most superior truth that ever was predicted. If we do chance to in∣terfere in our presages, and make them to justle one a∣gainst the other, it is but that truth in our works might get the upper hand of errour and falshood; for you must understand we write both, that we may the better please all sorts of people; for, Quot homines, tot sententiae. Tell truth to a natural lyar, he'll but hate you for it; and had we so written always, we had never been ma∣ster of a Gold Chaine, and 100 l. per Annum Salary from all Governments since 1646. to poor Protector Dick's—downfal.

But now all England are big with expectation of a King, I, and King Charles too: well, let them be so; we

must keep close to our former Predictions. It is true, in 1651. we were not able (neither indeed were we at any other time) to cleave a hair in sunder; for we could not foresee the Scotch King's creeping into England; it was an act of madness, and not of reason; as we then most Astrolo∣gically wrote. However, in 1652. page 12. of our Angilcus for that year, we were enabled to predict unto the Scotish King no re-establishment in that year, nor in any year hereafter; and though he is alive, he may live a wandering life—Let the Orchades suffice or satisfy his hungry appetite; or those other Mountains and cold Islands give him a sufficient Patrimony; and he might think himself happy, if he could en∣joy those barren Islands for his Patrimony, without distur∣bance.

Nay, so fearless were we in 1653. that in our Angli∣cus of that year, pag. 10. we called him the pretended King of Scotland, and threatned him (without ground in Astro∣logy, we readily acknowledge) with Poyson, Treachery, or a Stab; or something else as bad: and we solemnly profess, we are not yet ashamed thereof. For when Lambert got out of the Tower, we affirmed our self (as we ever have been) a Phanatique, and an utter enemy to Kingship: we admit of Kingship in a private Family, where our self is sole Monarch; but we hate all other Regalitie. And this we are perswaded to re-acquaint the world with, in this staggering time, (when neither Lamberts zeal, nor the Coleman-Street cursings can prevail,) and the rather, because my constant club-fisted friend John Booker, hath promised to hang himself, whenever the King comes into England: and since 'tis dishonorable to hang alone, we promise then, to swing with him for company: For Monarchie and we can't possibly stand together.

FINIS.